After his unveiling as a new host this morning, he said: 'When I submitted my 30-second audition tape, I knew the odds were very firmly against me, as the auditions were open to absolutely everybody.

'To be the only person to make it through the open audition process makes me immensely proud.

'I've been a Top Gear fan for decades, but more than that, I live and breathe cars in a way that is perfectly compatible with the show.

'I'm looking forward to bringing my brand of knowledge, energy and humour to what promises to be a very exciting new series.'

Describing Reid on his Radio 2 breakfast show this morning, Evans said: 'Rory was plucked from the public 30-second video auditions. He's knowledgeable, funny cool and warm.

'That's not an easy combo. And he's a brilliant storyteller. His audition stuck out a mile.'

Reid (left) was unveiled as a new host of the show today alongside (left to right) Sabine Schmitz, Matt LeBlanc, Chris Evans, Chris Harris, Eddie Jordan and The Stig

Reid has presented on the Fast Furious & Funny YouTube channel, which describes itself saying: 'We do all the things you've always wanted to do with your motor but never had the guts or insurance to do!'

The father-of-two is also editor-in-chief of online car review site Recombu.

The news of Reid's new role was published on his Recombu website today, which recommended him to fans of the show.

The site stated: 'Will Reid be any good? If you like his videos on Recombu Cars or any of his previous work, the answer is a resounding yes. He's a smart cookie, clearly loves cars and knows his stuff.'

It's the BBC's dream PC line-up! New Top Gear hosts revealed and the internet is quick to notice there's 'a black guy, a woman and a foreigner' (and, of course, a ginger)

Top Gear fans have called the show's new line-up 'very BBC', joking that it now includes 'a woman, a black guy and a ginger'.

The corporation today unveiled the full seven-person team due to host the new-look programme when it returns to screens in May.

As well as the previously-announced Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc, the new team includes former Formula One boss Eddie Jordan, German racing driver Sabine Schmitz, YouTube star Chris Harris and unheard-of technology journalist Rory Reid.

Fans went online commenting that the line-up suggests the show will be very different from its famously politically incorrect style under former hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

Fans of the show went online to say that the notoriously politically incorrect show seemed to have changed

JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY REALISE: JOKERS POKE FUN AT HOST'S SHIRT

Online jokers said Top Gear's new woman presenter must have been told to wear a T-shirt with a female symbol on it to remind viewers she is from the opposite sex to other hosts.

Sabine Schmitz is pictured in the line-up with a classical symbol of Venus, often used to denote a woman, on her T-shirt.

One viewer joked: 'Sticking the female symbol on the female presenter just to get the point across that new Top Gear is sort of diverse.'

Matt Williams wrote: 'See Top Gear made their new line up very PC by covering every base. Not like old Top Gear.'

And Daren Savage added: 'Nice to see the BBC Top Gear covering every politically incorrect angle with 6 new presenters, woman, black guy, old guy, ginger.'

After revealing Friends actor Matt LeBlanc would host the show last week, former Formula One boss Eddie Jordan was today named as another presenter.

As well as Evans, the new duo will join German racing driver Sabine Schmitz, YouTube star Chris Harris and Rory Reid.

Evans said of the new line up: 'We really do have a bit of everything for everyone.

'A fellow lifelong petrolhead from the other side of the pond in Matt; a fearless speed-demon in the irrepressible and effervescent Sabine; the encyclopedic, funny and wonderfully colourful character that is EJ; Chris, one of the world's top no-nonsense car reviewers; and Rory, who simply blew me away in his audition and fully deserves his place on the team.'

He later tweeted: "Morning from the new Top Gear team. All present and correct and smelling of eau de petrol."

Evans was brought in to revamp the show last year and will have to try to emulate the affection for former line-up of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond among the programme's loyal fans.

The trio have signed what is reportedly a lucrative deal and are set to launch their own motoring show on Amazon Prime later this year.

Others on Twitter poked fun at the photo released by the BBC of its new team, comparing it to kids TV shows

Not to be outdone by the growing publicity around his old show, Clarkson took to Twitter yesterday in a bid to build up excitement about his new programme.

He tweeted: 'I don't like to speak too soon but things are going very well at work,' before adding 'Filming starts gently tomorrow. Then it goes berserk. See you all in Terminal 5.'

Meanwhile, Richard Hammond was today seen driving through central London in what is assumed to be shooting for their new, still unnamed, new programme.

The presenter was pictured behind the wheel of Ford Mustang GT Coupe driving across Westminster Bridge behind a camera mounted on a van.

Clarkson was fired from the show in March following a "fracas" with a producer, with Hammond and May quitting in solidarity.

Clarkson has attempted to build up expectation for his own new shown, boasting about it on Twitter

Richard Hammond was today pictured during filming for his and Clarkson's new Amazon Prime programme

Hammond is currently preparing to take part in a new Amazon Prime television series with former Top-Gear co-hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May

Who are the other new presenters? How a German women's racing champion, a former F1 team owner and a YouTube sensation ended up becoming the other fresh faces on the new-look show

SABINE SCHMITZ: THE QUEEN OF THE NURBURGRING WHO BEAT CLARKSON

Sabine Schmitz is a professional German racing driver, who grew up near the famous Nurburgring racetrack.

The 46-year-old became known as Queen of the Ring in Germany, after she claimed to have gone round the track more than 30,000 times.

Schmitz has driven for BMW and Porsche and became the first woman to win a major 24-hour race, the 24 Hours Nurburgring, in 1996. She also won the title the following year.

Sabine Schmitz gained a reputation as Germany's top women's racing driver after her youth near a track

She has previously appeared on the Top Gear, competing against former host Clarkson in a 2004 episode

She hosted a German TV show called D Motor, which is a similar to Top Gear, where she would take on a new driving challenge each time.

Schmitz was pictured with Evans during filming for the new show in California.

She appeared on Top Gear in 2004 when she beat former host Jeremy Clarkson's lap time around the famous Nurburgring track by 47 seconds.

She has earned the nickname as 'the fastest taxi driver in the world' for her BMW ring taxi laps.

Schmitz was born in Adenau in Germany and grew up with her two elder sisters at the hotel her parents owned in Nurburg. Her marriage name is Sabine Reck.

Schmidt was unmasked as one of the new hosts when she was pictured filming with Evans earlier this year

EDDIE JORDAN: F1 SUPREMO WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY SLAMMED THE BBC

Edmund 'Eddie' Jordan is a former Irish racing driver who retired from racing in 1980. He went on to set up his own successful team, Jordan, which competed in Formula 3.

Jordan is often credited with furthering the careers of young drivers like Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and Eddie Irvine. In 1990 he established Jordan Grand Prix and entered the Formula 1 arena.

He sold the team in 2005 but has continued to be a central figure in Formula 1, presenting for the BBC and hosting TV shows such as Eddie Jordan's Bad Boy Racers in 2006.

Jordan, pictured with models including a young Katie Price in 1998. Right: With wife of 35-years, Marie

Jordan was inducted into the Irish Motorsport Hall of Fame and was awarded a honorary OBE by the Queen in 2012 in recognition of his services to charity and motor racing.

The team owner turned BBC F1 pundit Jordan worked alongside David Coulthard and Suzi Perry on the BBC's F1 coverage.

But he criticised the corporation last year for allowing Channel 4 to take Formula One rights.

He said of the move: 'It is utterly devastating. The week of Christmas is not the time to hear this, compounded by the fact that it's not long since a lot of the team had left London and relocated in Salford at the whim of the BBC.

'People have moved families to new houses and children to new schools and were just about getting settled in Salford and then they get this bomb-shell.'

Chris Evans and Jordan are said to have known each other for years and Evans hopes his expert technical knowledge will be an asset to the show.

Jordan, pictured with David Coulthard and Suzi Perry, previously criticised the BBC for losing F1 rights

CHRIS HARRIS: ONLINE HIT WAS ONCE BANNED FROM DRIVING FERRARIS

Harris, 40, is a motoring journalist who has worked as a reviewer, writer, and editor for many car magazines, including Evo and Autocar.

He has his own YouTube channel, called Chris Harris On Cars, where he provides video reviews to his 321,000 subscribers.

The channel was set up in 2014 with his friend Neil Carey and is described as the 'home to fast cars (and some slow ones) being driven with little regard for tyre longevity'.

Chris Harris is a motoring journalist who has worked as a reviewer, writer, and editor for Evo and Autocar

Harris was once banned from driving Ferraris after calling them 'irritating' in a review

The channel is free but has a line saying: 'If you'd like to give a little to keep Neil from sleeping rough, we'd be enormously grateful', with a link to a site where donations can be made.

Harris was the official road-test editor for Autocar magazine, worked for Evo magazine and is a member of motoring forum PistonHeads.

In 2011 he was banned from reviewing Ferraris after writing an article where he described the brand as 'profoundly irritating'. Harris and Ferrari have since made up.

He is still banned from reviewing Lamborghinis, after he wrote an article with the headline 'Lamborghinis Are The Perfect Cars For People Who Can't Drive' and described the company's future as 'bleak'.

Harris has had a career in racing as well and won his first race, the Formula Power Audi, in 2000.

He said: 'Top Gear is the thing that helped shape my life with cars, my perception of cars and my obsession with cars, and I'm raring to give it a go'